For those new to this website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
This vintage Pyrex “Made in USA” orange mixing bowl turned out positive for
61,100 ppm Lead when tested with an XRF instrument.
Notice all the flecks of paint (leaded paint) missing from this vintage Pyrex mixing bowl! I love this image. I illuminated the bowl from the inside to show the worn/ chipped exterior finish.
Please share and browse the photo library of this site (click on the #XRFTesting tag in the tag list at the top of the post) to see items I have personally tested that resulted in both positives and negatives for Lead.
To learn more about XRF testing and the potential implications of Lead in cookware, click HERE and HERE.
Read more about Lead-in-Pyrex here.
For some unleaded mixing bowl options, click here!
And for unleaded dishes, click here!
As always, thank you for reading and for sharing this work.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
To see more Pyrex pieces we have tested and reported on LeadSafeMama.com, click here.
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
I have a complete set of dishes for eight, I bought them at K-mart at least 30 years ago, and they are in the group of lead high level. Would Corelle exchange them for a lead free set? My dishes are so pretty I would hate to break them and throw them away, keeping them and not using them seems not only silly but irresponsible and a risk for a young person unaware of the problem to get them after I am dead (I am 80 yrs. old). It seems to me Corelle should be responsible for disposing and replacement of their unsafe merchandise.
Any suggestions?
Thanks so much,
Sefora
Why not write or leave a note “NOT FOOD SAFE, HIGH LEAD ETC…” in the bowl? You could display them, too. Or, decide to use as much caution as you can, seeing as these are now 40+ years old and personally we had a ton of the toys and such growing up when it’s much more dangerous. We’re both still here. 🙂 Be careful when you touch the outside, for example, seeing as that’s mostly where the lead is? Don’t handle it with bare hands. It can seep into your skin. Just my opinion.
Are those lead levels just on the exterior paint? What about the interior where the food is touching? I realize hands would be touching the exterior of the bowl and deem these bowls unsafe.
Hi Kelsey – yes the high levels are on the exterior paint.
Here’s a post I wrote about the concern more specifically:
https://tamararubin.com/2020/07/if-the-lead-is-only-on-the-outside-of-my-dish-measuring-cup-mixing-bowl-etc-why-does-it-matter-that-it-has-lead/
Tamara
We have this bowl, or a very similar one, which is decades old. It was a favorite, but have it in a stack to toss in the landfill on our next trip. Hubby tested the outside coloring, which is deteriorating, with a lead paint swab—positive. I started testing brass doorknobs in our 70+ year old house—positive. Fortunately or unfortunately, our children and grandchildren are grown, maybe the house will be lead-free if we live here long enough for great grandchildren. Coincidentally, we just ordered a new back door, so the leaded hardware on that one will soon be gone! Tempting to rush off to the medical lab and have our blood lead levels tested.
Getting a blood lead test (for a baseline) isn’t unwarranted!
You can read more about that here:
https://tamararubin.com/2019/02/blood-lead-testing-please-get-everyone-in-the-family-tested-since-you-have-been-living-in-a-house-with-high-lead-paint/
And here:
https://tamararubin.com/2024/06/when-should-babies-be-tested-for-lead-how-often-should-babies-be-tested-for-lead/
And symptoms for adults – here:
https://tamararubin.com/2017/01/what-is-the-impact-of-lead-poisoning-in-adults-including-college-age-students/
I just tossed my 4 quart orange mixing bowl in the landfill. I notice that these bowls are still available in orange and other colors on Amazon, eBay and other sites for hefty prices. They are considered family heirlooms. I like the shape–hard to find—but not at the price of all that lead. A few customers asked about or commented that they contain lead.
Seller (“Corning Warehouse”) responded that “there is no lead in the interior of the bowl- the glass used has no lead”. So evasive!!